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REVEALED: FBI Told Supervisory Agent Investigating Hunter Biden to Duck House Oversight Committee Questions | The Gateway Pundit

The FBI told a supervisory agent investigating Hunter Biden to duck GOP House Oversight Committee questions about the “ongoing” criminal case involving Hunter, according to a letter obtained by the New York Post.

FBI general counsel Jason Jones sent a letter to a supervisory agent warning him to decline to respond to questions by House Oversight Committee lawmakers just days before the agent was set to testify.

The name of the supervisory agent was redacted.

The New York Post reported:

The FBI warned a supervisory agent who investigated Hunter Biden that he was expected to “decline to respond” to House Oversight Committee questions about the “ongoing” case involving the first son, a bombshell letter obtained by The Post shows.

FBI general counsel Jason Jones sent the letter Sunday afternoon, just hours before the agent was set to testify — even though a source tells The Post that the FBI knew of a scheduled Monday deposition for several days.

“[T]he Department expects that you will decline to respond to questions seeking non-public information likely covered by one or more components of executive privilege or other significant confidentiality interests, in particular information about deliberations or ongoing investigative activity in law enforcement matters,” Jones wrote.

“You should instead refer such questions to the FBI’s Office of Congressional Affairs,” the FBI lawyer went on.

“Consistent with longstanding practice, this will afford the Department the full opportunity to consider particular questions and possible accommodations that may fulfill the Committee’s legitimate need for information while protecting Executive Branch confidentiality interests.”

“Specifically, the Committee has stated an interest in what the Committee has described to you as certain events that took place in December 2020 as part of this investigation. As the Department recently emphasized when affirming that U.S. Attorney David Weiss will appear before the House Committee on the Judiciary ‘at an appropriate time, consistent with the law and Department policy,’ the Department’s longstanding policy is to seek ‘wherever possible to provide information about closed, rather than open, matters.’”

Jones added: “Department officials, including those who have left the Department, are obligated to protect non-public information they learned in the course of their work. Such information could be subject to various privileges, including law enforcement, deliberative process, attorney work product, and attorney-client privileges, and privacy interests. Current and former Department officials also must protect classified information, sources and methods, and grand jury information protected by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e).”

Oversight Committee Republicans on Monday said a former FBI Supervisory Agent confirmed key portions of the IRS whistleblowers’ testimony.

Federal agents were told not to approach Hunter Biden!

The Biden transition team was TIPPED OFF about the planned Hunter Biden interview.

Hunter Biden was given a sweetheart deal by his father’s corrupt Justice Department after a 5-year mop-up operation disguised as an investigation.

“Today, our committee staff conducted a transcribed interview with a former FBI supervisory special agent assigned to the FBI’s Wilmington office and the Biden criminal investigation.” Oversight Chairman James Comer said.

Below are key takeaways from today’s transcribed interview of a former FBI supervisory special agent.

As part of the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden, there were multiple witness interviews planned for December 8, 2020. IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and the former FBI supervisory special agent were assigned to interview Hunter Biden.On the evening of December 7, 2020, Shapley and the FBI supervisory special agent learned that FBI headquarters had notified Secret Service headquarters about the planned interview with Hunter Biden. Additionally, they learned the Biden transition team was notified about the planned interview. This was not the original plan by the career agents, which frustrated their investigative efforts because people found out who didn’t need to know.On December 8, 2020, Shapley and the FBI supervisory special agent were notified they would not be allowed to approach Hunter Biden’s house and instead would have to wait near his residence until Hunter Biden contacted them.The former FBI supervisory special agent told committee investigators he had never been told to wait outside to be contacted by the subject of an investigation.
As a result of these actions, Shapley and the former FBI supervisory special agent never interviewed Hunter Biden.

House Republicans are debating whether to impeach US Attorney General Merrick Garland after Speaker McCarthy floated the idea last month.

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OH MY! Malik Obama Tweets Brother Barack Obama is ‘Definitely Gay’ – Then Deletes Tweet in a Panic! | The Gateway Pundit | by Cristina Laila

Oh boy.

Malik Obama said his brother Barack Obama is “definitely gay” in response to the former president’s statement on banning porn books for children.

“Today, some of the books that shaped my life—and the lives of so many others—are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. And librarians are on the front lines, fighting every day to make the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and ideas available to everyone.” Barack Obama said.

Today, some of the books that shaped my life—and the lives of so many others—are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. And librarians are on the front lines, fighting every day to make the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and… pic.twitter.com/txhCTfH3Gh

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 17, 2023

Obama was referring to sexually explicit books such as “Gender Queer” – a book filled with pornographic photos.

Malik Obama reacted to Barack Obama’s tweet.

“This man is definitely gay,” Malik Obama said in a since-deleted tweet.

Screenshot courtesy of the Post Millennial:

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JumpCloud, an IT firm serving 200,000 orgs, says it was hacked by nation-state

JumpCloud, a cloud-based IT management service that lists Cars.com, GoFundMe, and Foursquare among its 5,000 paying customers, experienced a security breach carried out by hackers working for a nation-state, the company said last week.

The attack began on June 22 as a spear-phishing campaign, the company revealed last Wednesday. As part of that incident, JumpCloud said, the “sophisticated nation-state sponsored threat actor” gained access to an unspecified part of the JumpCloud internal network. Although investigators at the time found no evidence any customers were affected, the company said it rotated account credentials, rebuilt its systems, and took other defensive measures.

On July 5, investigators discovered the breach involved “unusual activity in the commands framework for a small set of customers.” In response, the company’s security team performed a forced-rotation of all admin API keys and notified affected customers.

As investigators continued their analysis, they found that the breach also involved a “data injection into the commands framework,” which the disclosure described as the “attack vector.” The disclosure didn’t explain the connection between the data injection and the access gained by the spear-phishing attack on June 22. Ars asked JumpCloud PR for details, and employees responded by sending the same disclosure post that omits such details.

Investigators also found that the attack was extremely targeted and limited to specific customers, which the company didn’t name.

JumpCloud says on its website that it has a global user base of more than 200,000 organizations, with more than 5,000 paying customers. They include Cars.com, GoFundMe, Grab, ClassPass, Uplight, Beyond Finance, and Foursquare. JumpCloud has raised over $400 million from investors, including Sapphire Ventures, General Atlantic, Sands Capital, Atlassian, and CrowdStrike.

In last week’s disclosure, JumpCloud Chief Information Security Officer Bob Phan wrote:

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On June 27 at 15:13 UTC we discovered anomalous activity on an internal orchestration system which we traced back to a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign perpetrated by the threat actor on June 22. That activity included unauthorized access to a specific area of our infrastructure. We did not see evidence of customer impact at that time. Out of an abundance of caution, we rotated credentials, rebuilt infrastructure, and took a number of other actions to further secure our network and perimeter. Additionally, we activated our prepared incident response plan and worked with our Incident Response (IR) partner to analyze all systems and logs for potential activity. It was also at this time, as part of our IR plan, that we contacted and engaged law enforcement in our investigation.

JumpCloud Security Operations, in collaboration with our IR partners and law enforcement, continued the forensic investigation. On July 5 at 03:35 UTC, we discovered unusual activity in the commands framework for a small set of customers. At this point in time, we had evidence of customer impact and began working closely with the impacted customers to help them with additional security measures. We also decided to perform a force-rotation of all admin API keys beginning on July 5 at 23:11 UTC. We immediately notified customers of this action.

Continued analysis uncovered the attack vector: data injection into our commands framework. The analysis also confirmed suspicions that the attack was extremely targeted and limited to specific customers. What we learned allowed us to create and now share a list of IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) that we have observed for this campaign.

These are sophisticated and persistent adversaries with advanced capabilities. Our strongest line of defense is through information sharing and collaboration. That’s why it was important to us to share the details of this incident and help our partners to secure their own environments against this threat. We will continue to enhance our own security measures to protect our customers from future threats and will work closely with our government and industry partners to share information related to this threat.

The company has also published a list of IP addresses, domain names, and cryptographic hashes used by the attacker that other organizations can use to indicate if they were targeted by the same attackers. JumpCloud has yet to name the country of origin or other details about the threat group responsible.

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5 Best Prebiotic Drinks for Boosting Gut Health

Stopping by the local market for a sparkling water or soda pop isn’t quite the same as it was just a few years ago. Today, some fizzy beverages also come packed with health benefits that go beyond bubbly refreshment—especially when it comes to perks for your gut microbiome.

To that end, we recently delved into the best probiotic drinks on the market—think Health-Ade Kombucha and probiotic sodas like Culture Pop. These tasty drinks offer a one-two punch: they’re packed with probiotics (aka live and active cultures that help diversify and balance the ‘good’ bacteria in your gut) and they’re an easy way to boost hydration.

That said, in order to truly reap the benefits of probiotics, experts recommend consuming them alongside their counterpart, prebiotics, which are what feed the healthy probiotic bacteria in your gut and help it thrive. One easy way to do so? Cracking open a prebiotic drink and guzzling away. Ahead, we delve into some of the best prebiotic drinks that boost gut health and why they give probiotics a much-needed oomph.

Health benefits of prebiotic drinks

As far as ‘good’ gut bacteria goes, probiotics have gotten most of the attention to date—but as gut health research gets more comprehensive, specialists say you really shouldn’t be sleeping on the benefits of prebiotics either.

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“I’m a bigger believer in prebiotics than in probiotics,” Frank Lipman, MD, revealed during a recent virtual event with the Global Wellness Institute. Why? According to him, prebiotics come from insoluble fiber—like whole grains and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale—that, unlike soluble fiber, aren’t broken down by the body before reaching the small intestine. This, in turn, allows the prebiotics to reach the small intestine and the microbiome to feed the good gut bacteria. Mission accomplished.

Are prebiotic drinks good for you?

Okay, let’s delve into the nitty gritty. Are prebiotic drinks even good for us in the first place? Well, according to Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist and New York Times bestselling author of The Fiber Fueled Cookbook, although they aren’t the end-all-be-all in terms of gut health, they are a great option compared to other “old sugar-laden, artificial-colored classic.”

However, the most important part of prebiotic drink shopping is knowing you’re getting the real deal. Laura Iu, RDN, CDN, CNSC, RYT, a registered dietitian and founder of Laura Iu Nutrition, previously shared with Well+Good that for prebiotic drinks to be, well, prebiotic, they must contain certain ingredients. Namely, fiber or inulin, fructooligosaccharides, or galactooligosaccharides. These can come as prebiotic blends made from ingredients like chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, or cassava root.

Do keep in mind: While you may be enticed to drink a few cans of prebiotic soda daily, registered dietitians remind folks that they shouldn’t ever replace whole food sources of prebiotic fiber (like yogurt, bananas, cabbage, onions, and asparagus, to name a few). The good news: You’re likely already consuming at least one or more of these high-prebiotic foods regularly, meaning it’s simply important to keep your prebiotic drink intake in check in order to avoid upsetting your digestive system or throwing your gut out of balance.

5 best probiotic drinks for gut health Photo: Olipop

OLIPOP Prebiotic Soda, Pack of 12 — $45.00

OLIPOP is a functional soda that tastes like many of our favorite conventional soda products while promoting gut health. It contains oligosaccharides, a type of microbiome-supporting prebiotic, and between two to five grams of sugar per serving (depending on the flavor). For context, most traditional sodas can have nearly 40 grams of sugar per can, which can result in inflammation affecting the brain, heart, and gut. Best of all? OLIPOP comes in delicious, soda-style flavors, including Vintage Cola, Lemon Lime, and Classic Root Beer, and combines prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanical extracts in its formula.

Photo: Poppi

Poppi Sparkling Prebiotic Soda, Pack of 12 — $30.00

Poppi prebiotic soda is infused with apple cider vinegar (ACV), which has gut-boosting properties. Each can contains one tablespoon of raw, unfiltered ACV with two grams of prebiotic fiber. The drink also comes in various refreshing flavors, such as Grape, Strawberry Lemon, Watermelon, and Cherry Limeade, and spins on classic flavors, including Doc Pop, Root Beer, and Classic Cola.

Photo: Sunwink

Sunwink Digestion Prebiotic Powder — $24.00

Founder and CEO Eliza Ganesh founded Sunwink in 2018 after she was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. Since then, the company has made beverages and powder blends to boost gut health. Their Citrus-Lime Prebiotic fiber powder provides prebiotics essential for maintaining optimal gut health that helps the good bacteria in the gut flourish. At the helm of this product is the convenience factor—the powder formula makes turning any beverage into a prebiotic drink a breeze.

Photo: Mocktail Club

Mocktail Club Variety Pack of 12 — $60.00

Did someone say happy hour? Mocktail Club has you covered with its line of non-alcoholic cocktails offering the familiar flavors of craft cocktails—like Manhattan Berry and Havana Twist—minus the ABV. It’s formulated without refined sugars but is rich in antioxidants and prebiotics from apple cider vinegar.

Photo: Uncle Matt’s

Uncle Matt’s Organic Light Orange Juice — $8.00

If breakfast isn’t complete without a big ol’ glass of OJ, Uncle Matt’s Organic—aka the nation’s oldest organic orange juice company—has you covered. Their products are USDA organic and are made with no additives or preservatives. What’s more, it’s packed with vitamin C, prebiotics, probiotics, calcium, potassium, and folate, to name a few. And since we’re on the topic of gut health, each serving contains one gram of prebiotics and one billion probiotics.

Discover an RD’s top hydrating foods:



Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.

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Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Says Downtown San Francisco ‘Never Going Back to the Way It Was’ | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Salesforce CEO and co-founder Marc Benioff recently said that downtown San Francisco is never going to get back to what it once was. It’s a stunning statement.

We have documented many of the various business closures in the city, mostly due to crime, drugs and the ever-expanding homeless problem.

Marc Benioff is no conservative. He is a San Francisco tech billionaire with very progressive views and yet even he can see the writing on the wall.

The FOX Business Network reports:

San Francisco’s downtown ‘never going back to the way it was,’ Salesforce’s Marc Benioff says

For San Francisco, the three-year exile resulted in empty storefronts with large “going out of business” signs hanging from windows.

Popular shops like Uniqlo, Nordstrom Rack and Anthropologie have left, toiletries like shampoo and toothpaste are locked up at pharmacies, and places like Gucci get hit by armed robbers in broad daylight…

London Breed, the city’s mayor, also announced the city would spend $6 million to upgrade a three-block area near a popular cable car turnaround to help bring back businesses and improve walkability.

Salesforce CEO Benioff, though, suggested a different approach.

He recently said downtown is “never going back to the way it was” in terms of workers commuting to the office every day.

Benioff suggested the mayor convert office space into housing and hire additional police to help visitors feel safe.

“We need to rebalance downtown,” Benioff said.

The idea of hiring police is a good one, but who believes that the far left leaders of the city are going to allow that?

Is the city already too far gone? Look at these short clips:

Video recorded of a street in San Francisco, Calif. close to the Nob Hill area. pic.twitter.com/B8iQTRuWd2

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 11, 2023

This is what happens if you park on the street in the San Francisco area. These tourists reportedly left their car for just 30 minutes. pic.twitter.com/cYG8jHhaEu

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 10, 2023

It’s disgraceful what has been done to San Francisco and other American cities. It has just been allowed to happen.

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AT&T stock fell to 29-year low on Friday and sank another 6.7% today

Getty Images | Eugene Mymrin

AT&T’s stock price hit a 29-year low on Friday and continued to sink today as investors fled telecom stocks on reports that cleanups of lead-covered telephone cables could cost the industry tens of billions of dollars.

AT&T stock dropped 4.1 percent to $14.50 on Friday, reportedly the lowest close since 1994. AT&T’s stock price fell another 6.7 percent to $13.53 when the market closed today.

Frontier Communications stock dropped 11.9 percent on Friday and was down 15.8 percent today. Verizon stock fell 1.8 percent on Friday and was down 7.5 percent today. Lumen (formerly CenturyLink) fell 10.2 percent Friday and was down 8.6 percent today.

Despite the notable telecom declines, the overall market continued to rise, with the S&P 500 up 0.39 percent today and the tech-focused NASDAQ up 0.93 percent.

Today’s telecom losses came after the four stocks “lost a combined $18 billion in market value last week,” Investor’s Business Daily wrote. The losses were spurred by a Wall Street Journal investigation into lead-sheathed cables installed by phone companies across the US many decades ago.

The industry started phasing out lead in the 1950s, but the WSJ said it found evidence of more than 2,000 lead-covered cables and said there “are likely far more throughout the country.”

The telecom stocks were already having a rough year. Over the past 12 months, including today’s results, AT&T’s stock is down 34.1 percent. Verizon is down 37.4 percent over the past year. Lumen and Frontier are down 84.2 percent and 52.8 percent during the past 12 months, respectively.

AT&T likely faces biggest total cost

Lawmakers are pressuring telcos to identify all the cables and address any potential environmental and health problems. US Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) called the telecom industry’s alleged lack of action “corporate irresponsibility of the worst kind.”

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New Street Research estimated that remediation could cost the telecom industry $60 billion, according to a Telecompetitor article. AT&T has the biggest network of legacy telephone cables and could thus face the biggest cost.

“We have discussed the copper lead sheathing situation with many industry contacts and have been unable to find a reasonable way to calculate any potential liability, but believe that AT&T will have the largest exposure given its massive LEC [local exchange carrier] business as well as owning the original AT&T long haul network,” JPMorgan wrote, according to Reuters.

Wells Fargo agreed that “AT&T undoubtedly has the greatest exposure to this potential issue, as its long-distance network dates back to the late 19th century,” as quoted in a Light Reading article. Verizon, Frontier, and Lumen “likely have exposure as well of an unclear amount.”

“The fear, of course, is that addressing the lead cable issue could divert valuable capital (and resources) from projects like fiber-to-the-home and tower upgrades. It will certainly be a topic of focus around Q2 earnings, but we also don’t expect much clarity for some time,” Wells Fargo wrote.

Long-term stock impacts predicted

Investor’s Business Daily cited several other financial analysts who expect the lead-cable problem to have lasting impacts on telecom stocks. “We could see what amounts to a general telecom buyer’s strike for some time… Investors are likely to shoot first and ask questions later. After all, none of these are stocks with outsized growth stories,” MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett wrote in a note to clients today.

“AT&T and Verizon likely have the greatest potential exposure in dollar terms” because of the size of their wired networks, but Lumen and Frontier don’t have large consumer wireless businesses to soften the blow, Moffett wrote. “Frontier, by virtue of primarily being a roll-up of incumbent phone company assets, may have the greatest proportionate exposure.”

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Goldman Sachs analyst Brett Feldman told investors that the lead-cable revelations mean it “may take the major wireline telcos longer, and cost them more, to decommission legacy networks based on copper cables that may have lead sheathing.”

The companies could face class-action lawsuits and lawsuits from attorneys general, TD Cowen analyst Gregory Williams was quoted as saying. On the other hand, the long-term financial outlook might not be as bad as feared for the companies if it turns out that the level of contamination is “overstated.”

“The range of outcomes could range from near-zero liability to billions of dollars in damages,” Williams wrote.

Telecom industry downplayed health concerns

The telco industry tried to downplay the environmental and health concerns last week. “We have not seen, nor have regulators identified, evidence that legacy lead-sheathed telecom cables are a leading cause of lead exposure or the cause of a public health issue,” the USTelecom industry trade group told Ars.

AT&T posted a response last week claiming that The Wall Street Journal’s testing was flawed. “For decades, we have managed legacy lead-clad cables in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and we have followed industry-wide best practices to maintain this legacy infrastructure in a way that’s safe for all based on established science,” AT&T said.

USTelecom also said that lead cables don’t necessarily need to be removed. “Many considerations go into determining whether legacy lead-sheathed telecom cables should be removed or should be left in place, including those regarding the safety of workers who must handle the cables, potential impacts on the environment, the age and composition of the cables, their geographic location, and customer needs as well as the needs of the business and infrastructure demands. The US telecommunications industry stands ready to engage constructively on this issue,” the group said.

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iPhone 15 release date: When will it be available?

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

The iPhone 15, Apple’s successor to the iPhone 14, is on the horizon. Apple has made it a tradition to unveil its latest iPhone series every September, and 2023 is no different. Aside from revealing the iPhone 15, we anticipate many other exciting devices. With the countdown to the major event already begun, here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 15 release date, the Apple Event 2023, and the other products Apple is set to announce.

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The iPhone 15 is expected to launch in September 2023. The new series of phones will take center stage during the Apple Event that month.

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When is the iPhone 15 coming out?

Continuing its time-honored tradition, Apple is anticipated to announce the iPhone 15 in September 2023. Over the past few years, the company has consistently chosen this month to reveal its latest iPhone series. As long as no unexpected disruptions occur, it’s safe to assume that Apple will stick to its pattern, launching the iPhone 15 lineup, which includes the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and a potential iPhone 15 Pro Max (or possibly iPhone 15 Ultra), in early to mid-September 2023.

Will the iPhone 15 be available at launch?

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

If the past is anything to go by, the iPhone 15 should be released shortly after its official announcement. Generally, less than two weeks pass between the announcement of a new iPhone and its availability for purchase. However, should Apple introduce a new model, like the rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, the company may opt for a separate event to showcase it. Still, a single announcement show seems the most likely, and all devices in the iPhone 15 series should have the same release date.

Will there be a livestream of the Apple Event 2023?

Absolutely! Apple fans around the world can expect to tune in to the livestream of the Apple Event 2023. There isn’t an exact release date for the iPhone 15 event at this time, but be sure to follow Android Authority for the latest news.

The tech giant typically streams its high-profile events via its official website, YouTube channel, Apple Developer app, and the Apple TV app. So wherever you are in the world, you won’t miss a moment of excitement.

What other products will Apple announce at the iPhone 15 launch event?

While the iPhone 15 will undoubtedly be the star of Apple’s September 2023 event, it won’t be the only device on stage.

Apple Watch enthusiasts can look forward to the unveiling of the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Considering the importance Apple places on ecosystem integration across devices, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 could also see a refresh, potentially introducing USB-C connectivity to better align with the anticipated changes to the iPhone 15.

As for Apple’s computer and tablet offerings, there are whispers of updates to the iPad mini and the 24-inch iMac. Some speculate that a 27-inch iMac Pro could even be introduced. However, these releases are not as certain and could be pushed back to 2024.

In June, at WWDC 2023, Apple took the wraps off the 15-inch MacBook Air and its debut AR/VR headset, the Apple Vision Pro, stirring up a buzz in the tech industry. Regarding the latter innovation, it’s exciting to consider any further surprises Apple may have in store for the September event as to how the headset will integrate with the new iPhone 15.

FAQs Apple iPhone 15 price: How much will it cost?

If Apple keeps the same prices of the iPhone 14 for the iPhone 15 lineup in the US, those prices will come out to (for 128GB):

iPhone 15 — $799iPhone 15 Plus — $899iPhone 15 Pro — $999iPhone 15 Pro Max — $1,099 Will the iPhone 15 have USB-C?

The iPhone 15 series will likely switch out the Lightning port for a USB-C port. Apple has admitted it must comply with EU law to support USB-C connectors by 2024, so it may do so sooner rather than later. Although, it isn’t clear if it would apply to all iPhone 15 models or not.

What colors will the iPhone 15 come in?

Rumors claim there may be burgundy, dark pink, and light blue colors. There’s a possibility Apple will include more traditional colors like black, white, silver, gold, and red as well.

Will the iPhone 15 have Touch ID?

There is speculation that Touch ID could make a return. Apple was granted a new patent for an optical imaging system that uses shortwave infrared technology. Some predict this patent could mark a comeback of Touch ID, but only for the iPhone 15 Pro.

Is iPhone 15 waterproof?

We expect the iPhone 15 to have an IP rating of IP68, the same as the iPhone 14. That would make it water resistant and able to withstand immersion in water for up to 15 minutes.

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A 10-Minute Lower Body Resistance Band Workout

Each month, a new trainer takes us through four of the best workouts they have in their back pocket. Follow along weekly for new ways to sweat it out with us. See All

Of all the fitness accessories available, the resistance band has got to be the most versatile. Increase or decrease the tension, wrap it around yourself or something external, pull the band fast or slow. These simple pieces of latex (or fabric, if that’s your jam) can give you a strength workout that’s low impact but highly effective, and that—a lower body resistance band workout—is what we have for you today.

In the latest episode of Well+Good’s Trainer of the Month Club, Lululemon Studio trainer Lonnie Poupard takes us through a 10-minute routine focused on building strength in the lower body and bringing stability to our hips and knees. Throughout, the resistance band will help you engage the muscles that surround these joints and fortify other tissues within the joints, bringing more support to your everyday movement.

Training with a resistance band

“Resistance bands work by offering an external force to the muscles without having to lift weights,” Alissa Tucker, CPT, CES, the master trainer of AKT, previously told Well+Good about using resistance bands. “Like lifting weights, resistance bands can help to improve muscle endurance and strength, and strengthen connective tissue in the joints.”

All you need to get started for this particular workout is a mini band, which is a small resistance band loop. Mini bands come in a variety of resistances, usually designated by color. You’ll want to choose a resistance level that challenges your muscles, but still allows you to complete the movements.

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“Choose a band level that is challenging, but that you can move through your full range of motion,” Tucker says. “Because of the increase of intensity as you reach your full range of motion, a tendency can be to limit and not move through the full range.”

Tucker advises having multiple resistance levels on hand.

“If you’re not sure which level band to choose, we always recommend grabbing two,” Tucker says. “You can start with the heavier band and if/when you feel your form start to slip or that you’re cutting your range of motion short, switch to the lighter band.”

Most important is that you don’t choose a band based on what you think you should be using, but rather one that will be challenging, but still doable. Whether it’s “a little lighter, a little heavier, you pick what is right for you,” says Poupard.

How a resistance band can improve your mobility

When we think of improving mobility, many people focus on stretching. But improving our mobility is actually about making sure our joints can work through their full range of motion while under tension—which is something a resistance band can help out with.

“Mobility is about control and working through full ranges of motion joint by joint, typically under tension or by creating tension,” trainer Charlee Atkins, CSCS and founder of Le Sweat, previously told Well+Good about mobility workouts.

Not having access to that range of motion can cause imbalances in other parts of the body. For example, immobile hips can lead to lower back pain. If you have knee pain, your problem might actually be limited knee mobility.

Strength is another key ingredient to preventing pain. If you have weaker glute or hamstring muscles, that can cause a chain reaction throughout the back.

“Anything that affects how well these muscles function, like joint mobility, weakness, or injury, may play a role in how efficient the low-back muscles work too,” Leada Malek, DPT, CSCS, previously told Well+Good about mobility and back pain relief. “If the hamstrings and glutes aren’t helping to distribute the load, then more will be placed on the low back.”

That’s why working on mobility and strength together makes for the perfect combination, and is something Poupard incorporates in this new lower body resistance band workout. Exercises like clamshells will build your glutes while challenging the range of motion of your hips to open up to their full potential against the resistance of the mini band. Banded walks and leg lifts will engage your quads as you work to keep your knees from bowing in, supporting that joint.

You can do the workout by following along in the video above, or by completing the exercises below on your own time. Find the right mini band for you, and get after it!

A 10-minute lower body resistance band workout

Format: Four bodyweight warmup moves, followed by four mini-band exercises, rounded out with a hip mobility challenge.

Equipment Needed: One mini band (a circular resistance band), or two if you are unsure which resistance level to use.

Who is this for?: Anyone who wants a quick lower-body workout that also benefits their hip and knee joint stability.

Warm-up

1. Good mornings (30 seconds)While standing with feet hip-distance apart, place hands behind head and bring a slight bend to your knees.Bend over so your torso is parallel to the floor, pressing your hips back and creating a stretch in your hamstrings.Stand back upright and repeat.2. Bodyweight squats (30 seconds)Begin in the same standing position with hands behind head and feet hip-distance apart.Bend knees and lower bottom into a squat.Stand back upright and repeat.3. Butt kicks (30 seconds)Jog in place.Exaggerate the movement of the legs by bringing your foot to your bottom and swinging your arms.4. Jumping jacks (30 seconds)Begin in a standing position.Jump your legs apart while bringing your hands overhead.Return to the starting position and repeat.

Now, grab your mini bands and let’s get into the meat of the workout.

5. Mini band walks (30 seconds)Place a mini band around your lower legs just above the ankles.Start with your feet hip-distance apart, lower into a slight squat with your but behind you, and brace your core.Take a step out to the left with your left foot, then bring your right foot in so they’re hip-distance apart again. Keep tension in the band the entire time.Repeat three times in one direction, then go the other way.6. Mini-band leg lifts (30 seconds per side)Begin in a standing position with feet hip-distance apart and the mini band just above the ankles.Lift your right foot straight out to the side.Bring it back in slowly and with control.Repeat for 30 seconds.Repeat on the other side.7. Mini-band squats (1 minute)Bring your mini band to just below your knees.Begin in a standing position with hands behind head and feet hip-distance apart.Bend knees and lower into a squat.Press the knees out to resist the force of the mini band.Stand back upright and repeat.8. Clamshells (30 seconds per side)Either remove the band or place it above your knees.Come down to the ground and lie on your left side, with your knees bent, resting on your left elbow.Keeping your feet touching each other, raise your top (right) knee.Return to starting position, and repeat for 15 seconds.For the final 15 seconds, keep your top knee raised, and only lower it down in small pulses.Switch to the other side and repeat the series.

Repeat moves 5-7, before one final balance and mobility challenge, sans mini band

9. Hip rotations (1 rep per side)Come into a standing position.Lift your right leg bent out in front of you, so you are balancing on your left leg.With a bent right leg, open your right knee out to the side.Bring the leg around to the back and rotate the foot behind you so your knee comes down to meet the other knee.Return the foot to lifted position, bent in front of you.Reverse that circle in the other direction.Repeat on the other side.

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Justin Trudeau Suggests Muslims Are Only Objecting to LGBT Content in Schools Because of Misinformation From the ‘American Right Wing’ (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apparently thinks that the Muslim community can’t think for themselves.

He is arguing that the only reason that the Muslim community is objecting to LGBT content in schools is because they are getting disinformation from the American right wing.

What an astoundingly insulting thing to suggest.

The Post Millennial reports:

Trudeau says Muslims against LGBTQ ideology in schools are misled by ‘misinformation and disinformation’ from the ‘American right-wing’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed Wednesday that Muslim parents who are fiercely opposed to their children being taught LGBTQ ideology in schools are just victims of “misinformation and disinformation” from the “far right” and “American right-wing.”

Speaking to a Muslim parent in Calgary, Trudeau attempted to minimize the objections of Muslims and other people of faith to the LGBTQ lessons. “I’ve heard this concern many, many times and I know that it is a very real issue,” Trudeau said in the eight minute exchange recorded on video and posted to Twitter…

“First of all, there is an awful lot of misinformation and disinformation out there. People on social media, particularly fuelled by the American right-wing, are spreading a lot of untruths about what’s actually in the provincial curriculums.

“Now if you look at the various curriculums, you’ll see that there is not what is being said out there about aggressive teaching or conversion of kids to being LGBT. That is something that is being weaponized by people who are not doing it because of their interest in supporting the Muslim community,” Trudeau said.

Check out the video below:

WATCH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Dismisses Muslim Parents’ Worries on Gender Ideology as Far-Right Misinformation

Follow @MediaBezirgan for more. pic.twitter.com/IgVgYc3JIg

— Mocha Bezirgan (@BezirganMocha) July 13, 2023

Muslims are not buying it. Watch this:

WOW. At a rally against gender ideology being pushed on kids, a member of the Muslim community BLASTS Justin Trudeau for claiming Muslims are being brainwashed: “We know the facts … Our children are our red line!”

Footage by @BethBaisch pic.twitter.com/MmgCwWctyo

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 15, 2023

Trudeau should apologize for his shameful remarks.

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Sponsored Links in Enhancing SEO: Is It Worth It?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of increasing visibility and traffic to websites by improving their rank in search engine results pages.

While there are multiple time-consuming strategies utilized to improve SEO, sponsored links offer a more direct route by carrying websites’ targeted messages directly into the top portions of search engine results with ads created from certain keywords.

Though it can be beneficial, there has yet to be an agreed-upon consensus regarding its effectiveness for SEO improvement.

This blog post examines auditing sponsored links as one aspect of SEO management by covering overarching benefits and drawbacks, important factors to consider before lowing budget resources on paid search options, and alternate strategies that should also be carefully incorporated alongside out paid methods for improved organic ranking and reach overall.

Sponsored Links

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Sponsored links are displayed advertisements paying for prominent display on a search engine. They can take the form of either pay-per-click ads or flat rate fees and are placed separately from natural, organic search results with clearly designed headers.

In the link building realm, sponsored links are typically paid-for ads via a backlink that is (or should be) marked with a rel=”sponsored” tag.

Customers who click through sponsored link visits yield revenue to its creators while providing potential customers quick access to relevant content mentioned in the sponsored text link itself.

Companies relying on these timely linked pages typically experience faster acquisition of marketing leads, higher website viewership, and greater profitability from within their revenue streams gained though voluntary organic search means.

Differentiating sponsored links from organic search results

Sponsored links refer to online advertisements that appear on certain websites, usually displayed as a separate box of results below the natural search engine result pages (SERPs). They are identified by an accompanying notation or symbol stating they are an advertisement/sponsored link.

Ideally, sponsored links allow businesses and organizations to quickly present users with relevant solutions using keywords that match the interests or needs of the target consumers. In contrast, organic search engine results provide unbiased combinations of keyword matches based purely on relevancy algorithms unprompted by advertising efforts.

Popular platforms offering sponsored link opportunities

Sponsored links are advertisements that appear on search engine results pages alongside organic results. They can be differentiated from organic search engine rankings in a few ways.

Firstly, sponsored listings display visible extensions such as “Ad” and use language to identify them as paid promotions.

Secondly, sponsored links lead to paid content or promotional landing pages rather than traditional web pages with accumulated content.

Thirdly, depending on the platform utilized they may offer additional features such as increased size and more prominent placement. Finally, organic search ranks websites based on relevance to key phrases while sponsored listing allocations depend partially on chance and time intervals specific to buyer’s budget constraints.

Pros of Using Sponsored Links for SEO Enhancement

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Increased visibility and exposure

Sponsored links present a unique opportunity to greatly increase visibility and exposure for websites, brand names, products and services. When employed strategically on popular platforms such as Google AdWords, companies are able to position their best-performing content above organic search engine results that would otherwise appear lower in the search rankings.

Increased visibility, therefore, works towards achieving higher click-through rates from users either actively or passively searching online using relevant keywords embraced through PPC optimizations which work in unison with SEO factors.

Increased visibility subsequently leads to boosted performance levels as well as enhanced reach throughout varying networks ensuring brands remain highly visible and tangible across multiple channels of communication.

Potential for targeted audience reach

Sponsored links allow businesses to develop a targeted campaign with specific messaging that prioritizes connections with users that would most likely show active interest in the product or service. Advertisers can target their audience based on location, habits and other attributes through sophisticated targeting options available through sponsored link campaigns.

Having an accurate advertising strategy helps to make sure certain messages are sent to only relevant audience and ads are intelligently displayed at opportune moments resulting in more predictive responses from customers.

In addition, by ensuring detailed targeting of ads potentially time-consuming manual labor required can be reduced significantly while simultaneously enhancing marketing results with various budgets.

Accelerated traffic generation

Sponsored links offer the potential to drive accelerated traffic generation, especially when it relates to targeting more specific audiences. Unlike organic long-term getting techniques like regular SEO strategies, sponsored link visibility can be achieved instantly with faster and direct results.

Additionally, clear direction is offered using location settings or advanced keyword searches which allows for a controlled influx of user volume. Through this method, advertisers are able to reach out to their ideal demographic group in real time with quick effective timing since many people are now online actively searching and browsing.

Improved brand recognition and authority

Sponsored links provide an excellent opportunity to leverage brand recognition and authority on a search engine. As noted by SEO experts, branded queries are great opportunities to generate leads and enhance conversion rates.

When done correctly with knowledge of keyword and marketing research, daily budget and market insights, sponsored links can often yield positive results that help businesses have higher SERP visibility via organic spot as well as get own share in the pricey paid search auction while competing against other bidder’s money bids for relevant keywords slots.

Cons of Utilizing Sponsored Links for SEO Improvement

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Cost considerations and budget constraints

When considering using sponsored links to improve SEO, cost considerations and budget constraints are key detriments. Utilizing sponsored link campaigns for SEO improvement requires substantial upfront costs as well as ongoing campaign maintenance fees which can quickly add up.

Additionally, industries with entrenched players tend to have much larger marketing budgets dedicated to paid advertising than smaller businesses due to the costly nature of performance bidding.

Cost is a particularly important factor to consider for digital marketing campaigns since insufficient funds due can result in ineffective initiatives leading to little-to-no return on investment.

Risk of dependency on paid advertising

Sponsored links are expensive and one could suffer from decreased ROI if their SEO requires extensive utilization of such services.

As more of the marketing budget is poured in sponsored links, it runs the risk of becoming a dependency that can become hard to sustain over time.

This may also cause an interruption in search presence for certain keyword queries when campaigns are paused due to Budget constraints, costing further organic visibility for SEO optimizations.

Ethical implications and potential negative user perception

Sponsored links can create ethical implications if utilized in a dishonest or misleading way. The use of sponsored links to promote or offer information, products, or services that may not align with the mission and values of an organization or brand might be viewed as deceptive.

Selling links as a service is also cheapened when sponsored links are involved.

Furthermore, consumers could develop negative perceptions about these practices, which could compromise their trust in the company promoting them. Sponsored links should never outshine appropriate organic SEO techniques as users value higher quality online content even more than visibility alone.

Uncertain long-term impact on organic search rankings

Sponsored links can provide short-term gains with increased traffic and improved brand visibility. However, the long-term impacts of relying heavily on sponsored links may be an issue to take into consideration.

Google algorithmologies are constantly changing and some major algorithm updates have resulted in a loss of organic search ranking for specific websites. It is difficult to predict future changes which could affected paid search performance, causing sites that rely heavily upon sponsored links for SEO improvement to see substantially reduced results.

Factors to Consider Before Employing Sponsored LinksComprehensive analysis of SEO goals and strategy

Before beginning to use sponsored links for SEO goals, it’s essential to do a comprehensive analysis of the strategy in place. Start by evaluating existing content and appearing on how relevant and useful it is to the audience or demographic likely to answer your ad.

Furthermore, you need to predict possible outcomes of using sponsored links and make sure they would support the overall SEO goal through certain metrics such as website lead generation rate aimed activity increase after this channel implementation.

Evaluation of available budget and cost-effectiveness

When deciding to use sponsored links for SEO enhancement, it’s important to evaluate the available budget as well as cost-effectiveness. Knowing how much money can be allocated for Ads will help determine if managing a sponsored link campaign is feasible.

It’s also important to analyze how effective different channels and platforms are performance-wise in order to optimize the impact of each individual chosen Ad and maximize conversions given a specific budget.

Last but not least, ROI (Return on Investment) should be optimized from sponsored link campaigns – can enough money be earned back from sales or merely from brand recognition? Taking all these factors into account before opting in will save time, resources and provide better long-term effects from employing Sponsored Links.

Researching target audience and platform compatibility

Researching target audience and platform compatibility is an important factor to consider before employing sponsored links in enhancing your SEO performance. Understanding the needs, interests, and demographics of your visitors can help you determine where and how to best invest in sponsored links.

You should also research the platforms that offer sponsored link opportunities; learn what types of content formats they support, geographic availability and other technical requirements that may be necessary for each channel.

Balancing sponsored links with organic SEO techniques

Before investing in sponsored links to improve SEO, it is important to assess whether your strategy includes the correct balance of organic and paid techniques. It’s recommended you create a outline of expectations, organic keyword targets, and current performance gaps in order to focus on utilizing an optimal combination of both options.

To optimize performance outcomes, sites should connect their sponsored link campaigns with website analytics and measure perceived value versus costs accurately across ongoing goals. This data enables business improvements and adjustments so that a venue can consider making continual refinements going forward and achieve maximum promotional success.

 Alternatives to Sponsored Links for SEO EnhancementOn-page optimization and content quality improvement

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On-page optimization and content quality improvement are essential alternative strategies to sponsored links when it comes to SEO enhancement.

On-page optimization involves in-depth keyword research and the application of those keywords throughout the website (title tags, headlines, etc.) for better indexing by search engines.

Quality content is also important in that it communicates information effectively to users without looking spammy or automated and keeps them engaged over time. These methods do take longer than sponsored links but improve credibility with organic rankings in the long run.

Building high-quality backlinks

Building high-quality backlinks is an effective alternative to sponsored links that can be utilized for SEO enhancement. Backlinking helps send direct traffic to your website and sours further credibility with search engine algorithms improving rankings over time.

A mix of strong anchor texts, trusted sources, targeted audiences and varied link types should all be addressed when creating a successful backlink strategy. Additionally, finding internal link opportunities allows your own web pages to benefit from the increased SEO boost providing a more efficient use of time and resources.

Utilizing social media platforms and influencer collaborations

Using social media platforms for SEO enhancement means creating, sharing, and monitoring content. This includes optimizing website hierarchies with keyword placement, link building from quality external sources, and providing thoughtful posts and commentary – including the engagement of influencers.

Influencer collaborations open up entirely new channels for businesses to tap circles that were otherwise inaccessible or achieved with difficulties.

From organic reach among commenters on relevant feeds to actively timed sponsored posts related to the services a business has on offer – leveraging relationships between real people adds credibility and gold-lined star power that is tremendously useful when seeking potential customers’ attention away from paid advertising routes.

Conclusion

Depending on individual goals and strategy, sponsored links can be a very useful tool for SEO improvement if used correctly. Advantages include increased visibility and reach, accelerated traffic growth, enhanced brand recognition, etc.

However, such benefits have to be considered in the context of budget constraints/cost-effectiveness and ethical concerns. Therefore, an effective evaluation of available options is necessary before determining whether the use of sponsored links is worthwhile for any given SEO project in question.

Nate Nead

Nate Nead is the CEO & Managing Member of Nead, LLC, a consulting company that provides strategic advisory services across multiple disciplines including finance, marketing and software development. For over a decade Nate had provided strategic guidance on M&A, capital procurement, technology and marketing solutions for some of the most well-known online brands. He and his team advise Fortune 500 and SMB clients alike. The team is based in Seattle, Washington; El Paso, Texas and West Palm Beach, Florida.

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